Gaming machine with locking function and insurance feature

• US 8,142,278 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2008
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Inventors: Tsukahara, Nakayasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Peter Dungba
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOANG, BACH V
• Application Number:
  US12/038,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20090117976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 22, 463 43- 44, 463/24, 463/25, 463/29
• US Class Current: 463/24
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A slot machine of the present invention comprises: a removable key provided so as to correspond to the gaming machine; and a controller, the controller programmed to execute the processing of (A) determining whether or not the key has been removed, and (B) controlling the gaming machine so as to make a game executable when determining in the processing (A) that the key has not been removed, while controlling the gaming machine so as to make the game unexecutable when determining in the processing (A) that the key has been removed.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a removable key provided so as to correspond to said gaming machine; and

a controller, said controller programmed to execute the processing of

(A) determining whether or not said key has been removed,

(B) controlling said gaming machine so as to make a game executable when determining in said processing (A) that said key has not been removed, while controlling said gaming machine so as to make the game unexecutable when determining in said processing (A) that said key has been removed,

(C) executing a game on condition that the flame has been made executable in said processing (B),

(D) counting the number of games when transition occurs from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode,

(E) measuring an elapsed time since last removal of said key,

(F) clearing the number of games counted in said processing (D) when said elapsed time reaches a first predetermined time without said key being returned, wherein transition occurs from the insurance mode to the non-insurance mode upon clearing the number of games; and

(G) paying out a predetermined number of game media when the number of games counted in said processing step (D) has reached a specific number.

2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein said controller is further programmed to execute the processing of

(H) accepting insertion of a predetermined number of game media, when said key is returned before said elapsed time reaches said first predetermined time after having reached a second predetermined time that is shorter than said first predetermined time, and

clearing said history of games when a predetermined number of game media are not inserted.

5. The gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising a data reading device capable of reading data from a removable storage medium,

wherein

said key includes an identification information storage medium storing identification information for identifying said gaming machine, and

determining that said key has been removed when the identification information corresponding to said gaming machine is readable by said data reading device, and determining that said key has not been removed when the identification information corresponding to said gaming machine is unreadable by said data reading device.

3. A gaming machine comprising:

a removable key provided so as to correspond to said gaming machine;

a symbol display device capable of variably displaying a plurality of symbols; and

a controller,

said controller programmed to execute the processing of

(A) determining whether or not said key has been removed,

(B) controlling said gaming machine so as to make a game executable when determining in said processing (A) that said key has not been removed, while controlling said gaming machine so as to make the game unexecutable when determining in said processing (A) that said key has been removed,

(C) executing, on condition that the game has been made executable in said processing (B), a game in which said plurality of symbols are variably displayed and then stop-displayed by said symbol display device after game media have been BET in number equal to or less than a predetermined maximum number of BETs, and game media are paid out in number according to the stop-displayed symbols or a combination thereof,

(D) counting the number of games when transition occurs from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode,

(E) paying out a predetermined number of game media when the number of games counted in said processing (D) has reached a specific number,

(F) measuring an elapsed time since last removal of said key, and

(G) clearing the number of games counted in said processing (D) when said elapsed time reaches a first predetermined time without said key being returned, wherein transition occurs from the insurance mode to the non-insurance mode upon clearing the number of games.

4. The gaming machine according to claim 3,

wherein

said controller is further programmed to execute the processing of

accepting insertion of a predetermined number of game media, when said key is returned before said elapsed time reaches said first predetermined time after having reached a second predetermined time that is shorter than said first predetermined time;

and

clearing the number of games when the predetermined number of game media are not inserted.

11. The gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein

measuring an elapsed time since last removal of said key is started when transition occurs from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode;

and

transition occurs from the insurance mode to the non-insurance mode upon clearing the number of games in said processing when the predetermined number of game media are not inserted.

6. A gaming machine comprising:

a reading device capable of reading player data from a player information storage medium storing said player information for specifying a player;

an input device with which interruption of a game or end of the game is to be inputted; and

a controller,

said controller programmed to execute the processing of

(A) reading the player information from the player information storage medium by using said reading device,

(B) making the game executable when, in the game ended state, the player information has been read in said processing (A),

(C) making the game unexecutable, on condition that interruption of the game or end of the game has been inputted from said input device,

(D) determining, when the player information is read in said processing (A) after interruption of the game has been last inputted from said input device, whether or not this piece of player information is the same as a piece of player information having been last read before interruption of the game,

(E) making the game executable when determining that the two pieces of player information are the same, while keeping the game unexecutable when determining that the two pieces of player information are not the same;

(F) executing the game on condition that the game has been made executable in said processing (B) and when transition occurs from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode;

(G) measuring an elapsed time since last input of interruption of the game from said input device; and

(H) clearing a history of games executed in said processing (F), when said elapsed time reaches a third predetermined time without the game being made executable in said processing (E) after interruption of the game has been last inputted from said input device, wherein transition occurs from the insurance mode to the non-insurance mode upon clearing a history of games executed.

7. The gaming machine according to claim 6, wherein said controller is further programmed to execute the processing of:

(I) determining whether or not the piece of player information, which is read by said reading device before said elapsed time reaches said third predetermined time after having reached a fourth predetermined time that is shorter than said third predetermined time, is the same as a piece of player information having been last read before interruption of the game; and

(J) accepting insertion of a predetermined number of game media when the two pieces of player information have been determined to be the same in said processing

(I), and clearing said history of games when the predetermined number of game media are not inserted.

8. The gaming machine according to claim 7, further comprising a symbol display device capable of variably displaying a plurality of symbols,

wherein

executing, on the condition that the game has been made executable, a game in which said plurality of symbols are variably displayed and then stop-displayed by said symbol display device after game media have been BET in number equal to or less than a predetermined maximum number of BETs, and game media are paid out in number according to the stop-displayed symbols or a combination thereof;

said controller is further programmed to execute the processing of

counting the number of games; and

paying out a predetermined number of game media when the number of games counted has reached a specific number; and

clearing the number of games counted when said elapsed time reaches the third predetermined time without the game being made executable after interruption of the game has been last inputted from said input device.

9. The gaming machine according to claim 8,

wherein

said accepting insertion of a predetermined number of game media when the two pieces of player information have been determined to be the same includes

clearing the number of games when the predetermined number of game media are not inserted.

10. A control method of a gaming machine comprising the steps of:

(A) determining whether or not a removable key, which is provided so as to correspond to said gaming machine, is removed;

(B) making a game executable when determining in said step (A) that said key has not been removed, while making the game unexecutable when determining in said step (A) that said key has been removed;

(C) executing, on condition that the, game has been made executable in said step (B), a, game in which said plurality of symbols are variably displayed and then stop-displayed by said symbol display device after, game media have been BET in number equal to or less than a predetermined maximum number of BETs, and, game media are paid out in number according to the stop-displayed symbols or a combination thereof;

(D) counting the number of games when transition occurs from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode;

(E) paying out a predetermined number of, game media when the number of games counted in said step (D) has reached a specific number;

(F) measuring an elapsed time since last removal of said key; and

(G) clearing the number of, games counted in said step (D), when said elapsed time reaches a first predetermined time without said key being returned, wherein transition occurs from the insurance mode to the non-insurance mode upon clearing the number of games counted.